Piercing the Shroud
by OptikalIllusion
Summary: Uzumaki Naruto had always lived under a shroud. Since his birth, he was kept in the darkness - obscured from his own self - and when this guise is broken, he finds himself on a path to new-found purpose.
1. Chapter 1

Piercing the Shroud

* * *

A pair of blue eyes slowly opened, eyes adjusting to the room. The crescent moon hung silently overhead, directing beams of light through the open window, illuminating the darkness of the night. The room was messy, littered with clothes and empty cups of ramen; the stench permeated and latched onto clothes and sheets alike. Nothing new. Same room, same smell, same feel.

The silence was broken by a light creak from the cold floorboards. A footstep so silent that if it weren't for the faulty nailing and bent wood, a sound would have never been heard. Blue eyes turned sharply towards the source of the sound: a man dressed in a black, hood pulled over his head, covering his face. The corpuscular glow of the moon reflected off of his glowing red irises and cascaded on the bottom half of his face, revealing a sharp grin.

_Drip_.

Was it the sound of water slowly dripping down a faucet and landing into the sink?

_Drip._

The man took another step forward, floorboards creaking as they sank from his weight. His body moved closer towards the window and the light from the sky illuminated all of his body, yet upon closer inspection, one would easily find that the source of the drip was not the faucet. Another droplet of blood hit the floor.

"Who are you?" The blue eyed child locked his joints in fear. Blue eyes staring into red ones. There was no response, only that terrorizing white grin.

And the world tumbled into darkness as the cerulean blues closed.

* * *

-Uchiha Military Police Force Compound-

"Uchiha-sama, this is the third murder in a row this week and the investigators have brought back their reports. A team of ANBU raided a missing-nin encampment with protocol six; he was one of them." A blonde woman brought a folder up to her face, and read the contents to a man whose Sharingan eyes were locked onto the folder. Protocol six meant large scale artillery ninjutsu was fired onto the compound. Highly destructive and extremely efficient.

"The group of nuke-nins had captured a few civilians from the Land of Fire. We were unaware when the ANBU were called in for the assault. His mother and sister were part of the casualties. He was later deemed mentally unstable after failing the next three ANBU psychological tests. He was discharged from the corps a week ago. It seems like his personal vendetta against the ANBU have caused him to go on a murderous rampage, and it is likely he will strike again tonight."

"His target?"

"There are currently six ANBU members on active patrol tonight. They are the most vulnerable targets at the moment."

"Very well. Tell the Hokage to recall his ANBU tonight. I don't want any more casualties than we currently have. If we move quickly, we can investigate this further. Souza will be brought to justice."

* * *

-Hokage's Tower-

"Dog and Bird have yet to report in, Hokage-sama. They should have received the message a minute ago."

"What! They're the ones stationed at Uzumaki Naruto's home!"

"Yes sir."

"Come with me! We're going to Naruto's apartment complex. I will not have a civilian directly under my jurisdiction come onto any harm. Mobilize the ANBU! I will lead this mission myself."

"Yes, Hokage-sama."

The Hokage and two squadrons of ANBU arrived at the apartment complex. Usually, both Bird and Dog would have appeared, saluted and returned to their positions before allowing the Hokage to continue on his nightly stroll. Their lack of presence was disturbing. Perhaps Souza had gotten them after all. The Hokage motioned for one squad to stay back while the other follow behind him. The Third knocked on the door.

Silence.

He knocked again and in return, received complete silence. The Hokage motioned for the squad behind him to follow into the house. He reeled his fist back and punched the door, ripping it off of its hinges and sending splinters of wood flying across the apartment. The ANBU silently fell into the room, one by one, supporting the Hokage. And when they entered the room, everybody grimaced.

Blood.

It was everywhere. On the walls and on the table; on the floor and the furniture. The corpses of both Bird and Dog lay on the floor, their necks slit and puncture wounds running from their chest to their feet.

"You know what to do." Four ANBU members dragged the bodies outside to be cremated. It was a standing order; when an ANBU died, his or her body would be destroyed to keep the secrets of Konoha safe.

The Hokage approached a door, a door that would either bring him relief or wretch his heart out. He slowly turned the knob and pushed the door open. Clothes were littered on the floor alongside cups of ramen. The familiar scent hung strongly on the fabrics in the room, drowning out the smell of blood only a few steps away. The window allowed the silent moon to reflect beams of light through, illuminating the empty bed.

* * *

Blue eyes once again, opened to scan their surroundings. The once familiar alcove filled with clothes and ramen was now replaced by an enormous cave with a ceiling so high it disappeared into the darkness. All along the side of the cave, bright torches were lit, reflecting off of rocks and boulders. His arms and legs were bound so that it was difficult to turn his head behind him. The dark figure sat upon a monolith, towering towards the top of the cave, twirling a kunai in his hand.

"So you're now awake." The man jumped down, landing softly at the base of the rock, crouching. "How are you feeling, boy?"

"Who are you? What do you want with me?" The child eyed the man's arm. What was once covered in liquid blood had now dried, forming a crusted layer of red. "You killed them, didn't you? The ANBU in my house."

"Hehe, yes. Yes I did." The man's glowing red irises turned to look at the dried blood on his hands. And just like in the room, the light from the torches reflected off of his bright white teeth, showing a menacing grin. "I was wondering, you know. Who was so important in that tiny little apartment and needed two ANBU soldiers as guards? Who knew it would be the Kyuubi jinchuriki? Are you afraid?"

"No. I thought this would happen. I've dreamed of it. People have tried to take me away before." The boy stared directly into the red eyes, yet despite his words, there was still a hint of terror in those bright blue eyes.

"What's a jinchuriki?" The blue eyed boy looked directly into red.

"Oops. Seems like I might have said a little too much. Oh well, it doesn't matter anyways. I'll probably be dead if they found me whether I said it or not." The man let out a maniacal laugh. "Only 6 years ago, the Kyuubi no Kitsune attacked this village of ours. It destroyed the village, crushing buildings and killing everything in its path. The Yondaime Hokage was forced to seal the monster into a little baby boy. That child was you. You are the Kyuubi incarnate, walking among us humans."

The boy froze. The Kyuubi no Kitsune? That name alone struck fear into the hearts of the Konoha civilians. How could it be possible? It was a lie. It must have been.

"Liar! That's impossible! You must be wrong! I'm not the Kyuubi! I'm Uzumaki Naruto!"

"Silence you ungrateful little worm! Your screeching is impeccably annoying! Haven't the villagers ever looked at you with those hateful eyes? Haven't they ever kept away from you? Haven't they ever blocked you from their kids for reasons you don't know? They have, haven't they? You know this to be true."

And a truer statement could not be heard. Memories of villagers spiting in front of him with eyes lit with a deep resentment that could not be understood resurfaced; stores and facilities would reject him, saying 'his kind' was not allowed; children would try to play with him only to be scolded by their parents, and only to come back the next day with the same eyes as their parents. And when reality came crashing down on the child's mind, he could do nothing but sit in silence.

"Were you sent here to kill me?" The boy asked minutes later. Death seemed like an impeding shadow, looming ever so closely to the boy's heart. Killing the demon would rid the village of its infestation.

"You? Please, I came to claim revenge on the ANBU stationed at your house. You were just another casualty in the way, and in battles, there are always casualties. Innocent little bystanders who never deserved the death that was brought onto them; then again, you're not very innocent are you? You can tell the rest of my victims that Souza has sent you to greet them!" He threw the kunai at the boy's chest where it landed with a resounding _thump_. Naruto let out a bloodcurdling scream, blood seeping from the edges of the wound on his chest.

"Scream! It doesn't matter who or what you scream to. Just scream! Try to let them know that somebody else is dying for their failures! I couldn't hear my mother's and sister's cries and neither shall anyone hear yours." Souza pulled out the metal blade embedded in the child's chest, giving it a quick tug. Blood quickly seeped through the clothing, staining in red – the same color as Souza's hand. "Goodbye little demon. I'll s-"The last few words could not be heard over the next one.

"**Pathetic."**

* * *

Sarutobi Hiruzen stared silently at the bed. He had failed. He had failed to protect Naruto, failed to respect Minato's legacy and failed to keep the Will of Fire alive. _Minato must be turning in the shinigami's stomach_. The Third Hokage had hoped the boy would grow up like a normal child. Perhaps he could live a life of peace and prosperity, rather than experiencing the cruel side of the world. He has suffered enough as it was.

And even when the boy came up to him, only a month ago, begging to be inducted into the Shinobi academy, Hiruzen had high hopes. With his eyes set on the Hokage's hat, it was evident the boy had the determination to succeed. Given a few years, perhaps the boy would have made a fine addition to the Shinobi forces. Unfortunately, this was not to be. Where the ambitious boy once slept now lay cold blankets.

A pulse of chakra ran over the room. It was a foul and dark energy, full of hatred and violence.

The Hokage recognized it all too well: the same feeling in the air when the village was almost destroyed six years ago. It came as no surprise when the rest of the ANBU members felt it, swiftly appearing in front of their Hokage, awaiting answers and orders. The memory, forever burned in their hearts.

"Find him. Now."

The squads dispersed, searching for the source, and all across Konoha, families held each other in fear, remembering the events that transpired not too long ago.

* * *

For the third time, blue eyes opened to see the world. What was once a cave of boulders and rocks now lay flat, the stones crushed into dust. In front of him lay a pile of ashes, blackened as if they were the remnants of a great bonfire.

He moved to stand, noticing his hands that were previously bound were now free to move as they please. Despite the lack of rope, his movements were limited as pain shot from his muscles all across his body. He let a groan of pain before stumbling onto his knees with his palms on the ground, staring at the ground.

He moved to stand again, and this time, the pain had not been so sudden. His anticipation caused the pain to dull into an extreme soreness rather than sharp stabbing pain. Stabbing. He managed to get back onto his two feet and looked at his chest. His clothes were ripped, chunks of it were falling off and it was blackened just like the ash. Yet where he expected to see a fatal wound, he only saw his smooth skin, unblemished and unscarred. Whoever healed him had done an excellent job.

He took a step forward, his legs barely lifting off the ground before aching once more.

"Where's Souza?" He asked nobody in particular. He never expected a response.

"**Look down."** It was the same voice he had heard before Souza had thrust his blade into his chest. He turned his head, bewildered at the random voice he had heard. Seeing nobody, he looked down, only to see the pile of ash he had noticed before. Is this what became of Souza? A pile of ash?

"**Yes."**

"Who are you?"

"**You know the answer."** The memories of the brief conversation with Souza was fresh in his mind. _The Kyuubi._

"**Correct."** Fear struck the blonde. Souza had not been lying. All the glares he got from the villagers, all of the friends he had lost and all the hate he experienced was because he was Kyuubi incarnate.

"**Fool! Do not even try to associate yourself with me. You are not me in human form. You are but a tiny mortal capable of being killed by anybody. You are this wretched steel cage."**

The sound of metal bars ringing reverberated in his mind, as if a prisoner was banging on his cell door. So he wasn't a demon. He was not responsible for the deaths of the hundreds of Konoha shinobi, nor was he capable of destroying mountains and leveling villages. It brought relief to his shoulders.

"Why haven't I talked to you before?" It was quite strange actually. For the past six years of his life, Naruto had never encountered the Kyuubi before. Why this day?

"**Never had to until now. I had to step in before you died."**

"What happens? You know…if I died."

"**You die. I reincarnate after decades if not centuries." **

"Then why are you here?" Why was the fox sealed? Perhaps the stupidity of the child was not worth saving.

"**Because I was sealed by your Yondaime Hokage. Did you hear nothing from that man?"**

"No, I knew that. I meant if you would just come back, why didn't you let me die?"

"**Do you regret living?"** The boy shook his head. **"Then do not question my decision." **It would take the Kyuubi much too long to reincarnate if Naruto had died. At least with the boy alive, the fox could bargain for his freedom in time.

"Did you kill Souza?" Naruto looked back down at the pile of ashes. What was once a deranged psychotic killer was now reduced to mere dust on the ground.

"**Who else?"** Despite the mockery, Naruto was satisfied with the response. It came as no surprise when the fox took credit for the killing.

Naruto took another step, leaving the pile of ash behind and followed the torches. With every step his body groaned in protest yet he continued his trudge onwards, eventually reaching the entrance to the cave. Situated on a high cliff, the mouth of the cavern overlooked the vast forests of the Land of Fire. The moon hung brightly overhead, reminding him of his old bedroom back in Konoha. That's right. What was he supposed to do now? He could see the village in the distance, quite the distance yet manageable. Yet would it be the best decision to go home? Evidently, the people despised him and lived in fear each and every day. And while their hatred was now understandable, Naruto could not help but feel guilt. Without his knowledge, he terrorized the families and created a growing tension in the village. He looked at the village far in the distance to the right. He briefly turned left and followed a dirt path down into the forests.

"**Interesting...Why?"** Kyuubi was referring to his leave. It was best for the good of the village. He doubted they would miss him anyways. Maybe then, there might be peace since the end of the second great shinobi war.

"Is it a problem?"

"**No."**

"Then don't question my decision." He could hear the Kyuubi roar with laughter in the confines of his mind as he disappeared into the dark foliage of the forest.

"**Souza was right. You are an annoying little brat."**

* * *

Hey FF, OptikalIllusion here with my first fanfic ever written. Leave a review and tell me how you liked it! Any comments or criticism is much appreciated.


	2. Chapter 2

Piercing the Shroud

Chapter 2

* * *

_Grrrraobrihweogl._ Naruto's stomach grumbled in hunger. It had been over six hours since his entrance into the forests of the Land of Fire and he had yet to meet a single soul. He wove underneath branches and through brushes, all resting underneath the towering canopy of the forest. The thick undergrowth made it difficult to traverse the terrain, but there wasn't anywhere he needed to be or anywhere he needed to go; the current amount of progress was perfectly acceptable. Except for his stomach.

"Kyuubi, I need food." The boy spoke aloud. He had learned he could communicate with the fox through thought, but opted to break the silence of the forest with his own voice. Regardless, the boy opened conversation with the Kyuubi. Throughout the course of his brief journey, Naruto had spent his time speaking with the fox. The boy narrated the past three – he could only remember three – years of his life and the fox listened to it every minute. At least it seemed like he was listening. Despite its detached attitude, the Kyuubi responded to Naruto with brief responses and rarely questioned the boy. The fox liked to talk. Just not very much.

"**Good observation."** The fox seemed to love teasing the boy with his sarcastic remarks.

"You know, it would help it if you stopped making fun of me." The boy mentally glared at the fox, only to produce a laughter that echoed in his mind.

"**You know what else would help? You not dying in the middle of the forest from starvation!"** The boy stopped and mentally gaped.

"I think that's the longest thing I've heard you said all day!"

"**And it's going to be the last thing you hear if you don't find some food!"** What the Kyuubi said was true. He already had a weak body from all the ramen he had eaten, and now coupled with the starvation, it was probable that his soul would disappear within a few days.

"Well, where can I get food?" It came as no surprise. A child has no knowledge of the wild. Stick a random child in the wilderness and he'll die. Luckily for Naruto, he was not just a random child.

"**Listen. Observe. And maybe, you'll learn."** The first two words were all it took. Naruto promptly stopped moving through the forest and ignored the rumbling in his stomach. He carefully tuned into his surroundings. It came alive in his ears; he could hear the crickets on the trees, the birds in the air, the water splashing against rock. _Water._

"Thanks." Naruto walked towards the direction of the water: a stream around 4 meters wide. Torrents of water splashed on the rocks as the river flowed at a rapid rate. Fish could easily be seen swimming through the water. "Food."

He started to grasp wildly at the water, missing every single fish that passed by. Luckily, the Kyuubi intervened.

"**Stop you fool! Focus! Find a fish and trace its movement. When it passes by, reach for it." **While it was easy for the fox to say it, actually executing it was difficult. The fish had unpredictable movements, sometimes darting to the left and sometimes darting to the right. Eventually, the boy was able to focus in on a single fish: a sleek black one the length of the boy's arm. He plunged his arms in and his hands wrapped around the fish's body as he tried to lift it out of the water, only to have it slip out of his grasp. The water on the scales had made the fish as slippery as a bar of soap. Only, nobody commented when you drop the fish.

He tried again. This time, he managed to grab the fish but the constant chaotic flopping of its tail quickly dislodged it from the boy's grasp. He tried 5 more times before letting out an exasperated sigh. He couldn't catch fish with his bare hands.

"**You need grip."**

"And how do I get that?"

"**Use your chakra."** This was the first time anyone had told him to use chakra. When the Sandaime told the boy about being a ninja, one of the most important things he mentioned was the idea behind chakra. The physical energy in one's being and bending it to one's will. That was chakra. How to use it, however, was a completely different story.

"How?"

"**Feel it. Then move it through your body."** Naruto sat down concentrated on feeling his chakra. He closed his eyes and felt the energy through his body. There were two pools: one that was calm and full of life, the other, fiery and uncontrolled. He tried to draw his energy from the calm pool and move it through his body albeit with no success. Manipulating chakra was more difficult than he expected.

"**Do not force it. The fish do not swim against the current and neither should you." **The Kyuubi's advice seemed to work as Naruto stopped trying to force chakra through his body and merely allowed it to flow. He focused on his hands and felt the calm energy rushing into the palms of his hands while the uncontrolled one stayed at the pit of his stomach. He maintained the flow of chakra as he opened his eyes. To his surprise, a blue glow enveloped his hands, starting from his wrist and ending at his fingertips. Maintaining the flow was difficult as the amount of chakra flowing into his hands at any given moment was erratic and uneven. At times, his hands grew an opaque blue and at other times, it was a translucent tint. Regardless of control, it seemed to serve his purpose. The next time he targeted a fish and grabbed it, the chakra adhered to the scales and he could easily bring the fish out of the water. It flopped for a minute before stopping, obviously dead from lack of water.

"Wow that was hard." Despite his overly large reserves, Naruto was exhausted from all the concentration. He could feel a mild headache building from the back of his head. Manipulating chakra was difficult, and he would need extra practice before mastering the ability. Nevertheless, there was a perfect piece of fish to consume and regain his energy. A perfectly _raw_ piece of fish.

"Augh! Now I have to cook it!" The boy ran back into the forest and grabbed bundles of dead sticks, leaves and grass. It was easy to find wood in a forest. He brought the two sticks together and quickly rubbed them together. In time, the pile began to smoke and a small fire was created. He blew softly on it and fanned the flames as he saw the fire grow into a decently large size. He could feel the heat radiating from the fire.

"**Now where did you learn this?"** The Kyuubi was genuinely curious for the boy's survival skills. He had not expected the boy to know how to produce a fire.

"My apartment used to break down a lot. Gramps taught me how to do this when my stove wasn't working." The old man had taught Naruto quite a few little tricks. Despite its location in the middle of an urban village, Naruto's apartment was prone to "failures" and more often than not, his survival skills were required to scavenge some food to eat. Whenever the ignition on his stove broke, he would go outside, find some trees and leaves, and create a small fire. He'd use a stick to bring the fire into the house and light up the stove, making sure to put it out lest he burnt his house down. Luckily enough, that had yet to happen.

"**Good. Less work for me."** Naruto pierced the dead fish with a stick and began roasting it on the open fire. Within minutes, the once live and wet fish was now dead and dried. He could eat. He took a bite out of the side, enjoying the taste of food in his mouth. It was slightly burnt but not enough to pose much of a problem. He quickly finished the entire fish, throwing the bones onto the side before approaching the river to catch another one. It seems like he was going to have a feast.

"How did you learn to use chakra?"

"**I am chakra. Born from it and bred by the Sage of Six Paths. Moving my form is manipulating chakra itself."** It explained how the Kyuubi could explain how chakra feels and how it can be manipulated through the body; Kyuubi did it every day for the past millennia.

"Could you teach me?" Perhaps if the Kyuubi would teach him, Naruto could become a ninja after all. He imagined himself battling against enemy ninja and claiming victory. He could use amazing techniques and –.

"**Why? It's more work for me."** Naruto slumped in disappointment. He had never thought about exactly why he wanted to become a ninja. He had always idolized the Hokage; the old man had the appreciation of the entire village. Naruto had always thought that if he became a ninja, he could emulate the old man's accomplishments. Perhaps all he wanted was to fit in. But now? He had nowhere to fit into. Not that it mattered; the Kyuubi wouldn't teach him anything. **"Do not mistake me. I never said I won't teach you. Just give me a good reason to."**

Then he remembered his incident with Souza and how he was the doorstep of death when the Kyuubi intervened. The fox defeated his enemy; chakra had the power to destroy. Why would the boy want to live with the power to destroy? He had caused enough problems in Konoha as it was. Yet he looked at the remains of the fish and realized chakra had saved his life. Chakra helped him catch fish so he could eat and evidently, the fox had saved his life as well.

"I want to go on adventures, to meet new people and see new things. Chakra will let me live long enough to do so." The Kyuubi remained silent, weighing the choices. If the fox assisted to boy, it would mean he could live without the Kyuubi's interventions and the skill could be used as some leverage when the fox asked for freedom. On the other hand, if he refused the boy, then his intervention may be necessary more often than he would like. The choice was obvious. Spending 10 minute now was better than wasting an hour later.

"**Well said. Your first lesson will be to go and catch some more fish."** Who knows? Perhaps the boy's adventures may prove entertaining for a while.

Much to Naruto's disappointment, the fox had no knowledge of any special techniques he could learn. He recalled the howling laughter that echoed in his mind when he first asked Kyuubi to teach him some moves. _**'Stupid boy! Do you think I need any ninja techniques?'**_ Despite the fox's inability to teach the boy any form of jutsu, the boy was able to understand the explanations on the nature of chakra. It was only a matter of practice before he could easily manipulate the flow of chakra in his body.

As the only thing he could do, Naruto practiced manipulating chakra every day under the guidance of the Kyuubi. He learned to adhere to different surfaces: climb trees and scale cliffs. The fruits that were high in the canopy of the forest were easy to achieve, once he could walk up the sides of the trunk. Every day, he would gather broken twigs, dried leaves and dead grass from the forest and start a little fire. Staying close to the river, he would take a few steps into the shallow water and trace the paths of a few select fish who would become his breakfast, lunch and dinner. As the fish roasted over the open fire, the boy would climb to the tops of the highest trees and pluck their delectable fruits before descending to his campfire and serving himself a decent meal. As each night approached, he would put out the fire, relocate a small distance, and scurry up to the tops of the trees to rest in their branches for the duration of the night. He could survive for years. But years was too long.

* * *

"**Wake up and be silent."** Kyuubi had been a great asset over the past two months. Tutoring the boy in chakra manipulation and control, the ancient demon always seemed to have knowledge and wisdom tucked within its mind. If the Kyuubi ordered him to do something, it was within his benefit to do so.

'_What's going on?'_ The boy spoke mentally. Only on rare occasions would the boy have to speak with the fox within his own mind. He cracked open an eyelid and saw that dawn had approached; the sun's rays just reaching over the horizon, shinning bright beams of light from the east.

"**What was the first thing I taught you?"** Naruto tried to recall the day that he had almost starved to death and was saved due to the Kyuubi's assistance.

'_To catch fish?'_ Naruto could hear a mental slap as he imagined the fox burying its head in its paws.

"**No you dimwit. Before that."** The boy pondered for a moment.

'_To listen.'_

"**Correct."** Naruto opened his ears and allowed chakra to flow within them, amplifying the sounds of the forest and allowing them to pervade his mind. Birds, crickets, wind, water. It seemed everything was natural in the forest; the morning was no different from any others. Almost. He could barely make out the audible sounds.

" – come find us?" It was a rough sound. Most likely owned by a grown man who smoked a little too much with the way the words were wheezing through his lungs.

"No shit. But I reckon we've got one day before we make it over the border to Wave. Those old bastards won't catch up tonight. We'll stay here for the night. We're as good as home boys!" Rambunctious laughter ran through the air. How many were there? 5? Maybe 6? Naruto turned his head to the source of the laughter.

They were decently far away: almost 20 meters. The vantage point from the branches of the trees allowed him to clearly see their encampment. It was based on a small clearing surrounded by the forest. Four bright white tents were set up in a circular pattern, their entrances facing an unlit fire pit in the center. Bags were leaning against a log where Naruto could see 6 men sitting and laughing. They were wearing light brown leather armor with tattered civilian clothes underneath. Naruto's attention, however, was caught on the various weapons strapped to their back. Some had large scimitars, others sleek katanas and still others with axes and hammers. Their faces were nothing special; each one looked like another man in his 30's or 40's with grime and dirt on their laughing faces.

"**Bandits."** Naruto eyed them warily. It was evident they had not noticed his presence in the treetops or else they would have probably confronted him by now. He wondered what they were doing in the middle of the forest. He tuned in to listen.

"Get me some grub!" One of the men spoke out, the large gash on his face twisting and moving with his facial expressions. He seemed to be the leader of the little pack. "And feed the prisoner while you're at it."

His order rang across the encampment as two of the other men standing beside him stood up and entered one of the tents.

'_Prisoner?'_ The boy stared in interest. He wouldn't take any action. Merely observe the scene unfold before him.

The two men who entered the tent brought out a young girl, seeming no older than Naruto. The boy's eyes widened. Her legs and arms were bound behind her back with another rope digging into her jaw, rendering her gagged and unable to speak. Her dark purple hair sat messy and dirty down her back and remnants of tears could still be seen on her pale face.

One of the men was holding two plates of food: one with a slab of meat and the other with a few bits and pieces of leftover fish. It was obvious which was going to who. The leader bit the meat and ripped a chunk out before quickly swallowing as the two men untied the gag at her mouth.

"Daddy's going to find you! You're going to pay!" The girl's high pitched voice screeched at the leader who only winced at the shriek. He rolled his eyes and motioned for his subordinates to feed the girl. Obviously, they had gone through the situation many times already. The men stuffed the leftover fish into the girl's mouth and placed their hands over it, waiting until she had swallowed. Despite the glare of resentment and rebellion in her eyes, the girl eventually swallowed the food. The men placed the rope over her jaw again and dragged her back into the tent.

'_Kyuubi, what should we do?'_ It was evident that Naruto wanted to rescue the girl. He had remembered the fear that consumed his body when he first saw Souza in his room, and later when he awoke in the cave. He could see the fear was present, despite her defying gaze.

"**Nothing."**

'_Why?!'_

"**It does not concern us." **The fox was right. He could sit back and let the entire event pass by and his life would remain the same as it had always been, yet there was this aching in his heart that told him to fight against the injustice.

"Out of all the ones you picked, you had to grab the one with the attitude?" The leader addressed one of the other men sitting on the bench.

"Hey, whatever man. The Boss is going to like the attitude. More fun for him when he breaks her. If the boss is happy, we get more money, am I right?" Murmurs of 'yep' were heard.

"Just a pain in the ass for us. Whatever, she can't talk much anyways. The deal goes down tomorrow afternoon. We'll be rid of her in a little over a day."

'More money.' Those were the only words that Naruto repeated in his head, over and over again. They were going to sell this innocent little girl for a sack of gold. _'I'm going to save her.'_

"**Do you truly expect to win against 6 armed fighters?" **

'_No, I'll wait here until tonight. I'll sneak in, rescue her, and get out before the sun rises tomorrow morning.'_

"**It's a terrible idea. You're only 6 for god's sake. Worst case scenario you're dead."** Was he really willing to risk his life to save this little girl he never even knew?

'_I'll never forgive myself if I don't do anything. You saved me Kyuubi, now somebody needs to save her. And plus, I'm sure the Kyuubi no Kitsune won't die to a few bandits.''_

"**If you are adamant with your decision, then I will not stop you. But do not ask me for any help when you're caught. Unless you're about to die, you alone will face the punishment of your failures." **With that last statement, the Kyuubi had ended the conversation. The Kyuubi was the boy's safety net, his back up when all else failed. Without it, Naruto felt as vulnerable as any little child would be when he or she first entered the wild. He wouldn't fail. No, he couldn't fail.

With his mind set on his decision, Naruto stared blankly at the camp. He could neither move from his location nor speak to the fox. Ignoring the building hunger, he opted to close his eyes and wait until the sun disappeared and the sky turned dark.

* * *

Naruto's body was stiff and rigid from sitting on the tree branch for so long, yet the night sky had finally come. His patience was wearing thin but he knew he could not compromise his "mission" so rashly. Darkness had descended onto the camp and the only sources of light were the bright moon in the night sky and the remaining embers from the once-burning fire. Believing themselves to be safe from harm, the six men retreated into their tents to sleep for the night without a sentry as a night watch. Luck seemed to be in the boy's favor.

'_Hey Kyuubi, are you ready?'_ Naruto had expected no response and he felt slightly lonely when his expectations were met. The fox had decided to hold to its declaration and ignore the boy on this mission.

The boy focused chakra onto his hands and feet and slowly climbed down the tree; his limbs adhering to the bark with every step down. His descent was silent and only a small noise was created when his feet made impact with the ground. He slowly made his way to the encampment, avoiding any twigs or leaves that could potentially threaten his endeavor. Step by step, he crawled through the trees and into the moonlit clearing; the dew that had accumulated on the grass shimmered underneath the moon's rays.

With baited breath, Naruto approached the assortment of bags that was left outside, leaning against the log. He opened one and muttered under his breath.

"I need a knife." He reached for the next bag, being careful to place the first one back where he found it. He reached into the new bag before his muscles tensed up as he let out a small whimper and retracted his hand. On his fingertip, a small trickle of blood oozed from an open wound. He expected the miniscule gash to be quickly surrounded by a red aura and promptly sealed, but blood continued to trickle down his finger. It seemed like Kyuubi was truly out of this one. He had hoped that the Kyuubi would silently support him physically, if not mentally or emotionally. The lack of high speed regeneration proved that the fox was not going to interfere. He was on his own.

Naruto reached back into the bag again, careful to avoid being pricked. He grasped a steel object and pulled it out. Success. The cold metal of a kunai reflected the moon's beams so that he could see the reflection of his brilliant blue eyes on the blade. The tip of it was still wet with blood. It must have been the same object he had pricked his finger on.

Placing the bag carefully back where it belonged, Naruto looked around for any sense of motion. Perhaps the small whimper that had escaped his lips were enough to waken the bandits. His eyes darted from one tent to the other for an entire minute, silent. Nothing moved.

Feeling his muscles relax, Naruto crept up to the tent he saw the girl be kept prisoner in. With one more look around, he lifted the flap and peered his head in. Within the tight confines of the tent, the girl laid on the ground alone, still bound in the same fashion since the morning. Her eyes were closed tightly as he heard a slight whimper escape her gagged lips. Her jaw was locked tightly around the rope, a clear representation of her stress and fear.

Naruto approached her and shook her shoulder. Instantly, her eyes opened and golden orbs peered straight into cerulean blue ones. Her eyes widened as she looked around, trying to gain her bearings. Her eyes locked onto the sharp metal kunai in his hand. Fear overcame her as she struggled and let out a cry.

He quickly placed his hand over bound mouth to muffle her cries. Her breathing was erratic and her gaze never left the kunai. He bent over and whispered to her.

"Hey, stop crying! You're going to wake them up!" His words hissed in her ear. He got up and poked his head outside, glancing left and right, ensuring that the occupants in the nearby tents were still asleep. To his fortune, they were. "I'm going to cut these ropes and free you. Stay quiet!"

He started with the ropes on her mouth. The rope was relatively thick and it took white a bit of effort before he could get through a single band. One down, several more to go. Once he had cut through the ropes that sealed her ability to speak, he started on her arms.

"What are you doing?" The girl hissed at him. Was she stupid? It was obvious he was saving her life.

"I'm saving your life, now hold still!" He hacked away at ropes on her arms. There were a fair amount more keeping her arms trapped than her mouth, and thus, it required a much longer time for him to cut through them all.

"Why are you helping me?" Was she serious? Was she really going to question his motives?

"Just shut up and be quiet! I'm helping you because you need it!"

"No I don't!"

"Fine! I'll just leave you he –"His voice was cut off by another. This time, unfamiliar and coming from behind his back.

"Well, well, well…I see we have a few children playing hero…"

* * *

Thanks for reading and I hope you've enjoyed it. Leave some comments in a review and let me know what you think.


	3. Chapter 3

Piercing the Shroud

Chapter 3

* * *

How did he find himself here? His arms were tied tightly behind his back, his legs bound at the ankle and rope ran over his mouth, rendering him unable to speak or move. He was sitting in a boat on the water, gently rocking back and forth with the waves. He glared to his left, only to see the girl he had tried to save in the exact same predicament.

'_Stupid girl. She was being too loud!' _He mentally thought as her eyes turned to lock onto his. They stared at each other for a brief moment before she turned her head the other way. _'Why is she so stupid?!'_

Naruto closed his eyes and replayed the events that had led to his present dilemma.

* * *

"Well, well, well…I see we have a few children playing hero…"

Naruto quickly spun around as the girl screamed. One of the bandits had entered the tent, a lantern in one hand and a hammer in the other. A maniacal grin was plastered onto his face, the dim glow of the fire accentuating his rough facial features.

Out of pure instinct, Naruto leapt at the bandit, swinging the kunai across the man's face. For a second time that night, the sharp metal edge drew blood.

"Augh! You little shit!" The man's arm with the lantern quickly moved to cover the wound, the light from the lantern allowed for a better view of the injury. A deep red slash started from just below the bandit's right eye, went across the bridge of his nose and ended slightly above his lip. Blood was flowing down the wound, staining the bottom half of his face red.

Evidently, the wound had not been deep enough as the bandit swung the flat side of the hammer into Naruto's stomach. He winced as pain exploded from his injury. The kunai came flying out of his hand and landed in front of the bandit's feet. He clutched his stomach as he curled into a fetal position. He heard the wind whipping as the hammer descended once more and his body went rigid in preparation for the pain.

Smack! Blinding pain. Blinding pain on his sides. That's what he expected, but not what he felt. He cracked an eye open, only to see that the leader of the bandits had caught the hammer in mid swing.

"Don't hurt the merchandise."

"Since when did this little shit become merchandise?" The bandit with the hammer scowled as the red line twisted with is face in rage.

"Since right now."

"Look what he did to my face!"

"Get it cleaned. You'll get a little extra pay. Now, why are you still here?" The leader spoke with unchallenged authority as he let go of the hammer. The bandit recognized the question as an order to leave. Glaring at Naruto one last time, the bandit turned around and exited the tent.

"Now for you…" Naruto could do nothing as the leader came at him with rope. His feeble attempts to struggle only caused more pain in his abdominal region. Within minutes, he was completely immobilized along with the girl he had tried to save.

'So much for that plan…'

* * *

"We're here." Naruto's eyes snapped open as he observed his surroundings. From the clearing in the middle of the forests of Fire Country, the entourage had traveled through a strait and was now resting on the shores of the Land of Waves. The little wooden boat that the group traveled in was now on the shore, laying on its side in the bright yellow sand. Moderately large, but in poor condition. The brown wooden hull was wet with moss and algae that clung onto the sides of the boat. Cracks and holes could be seen on the bottom of the boat. How they managed to stay afloat, Naruto was clueless. He had more than expected the boat to capsize or fill with water mid sail. Regardless of the condition, the boat had sailed smoothly and deposited its passengers onto the beaches of one of the chain of islands near the Land of Waves.

The island was bland: endless beaches on both sides and rocky hills that stretched endlessly towards the center of the island. There were no trees. Only large piles of rocks.

"Hey boss, where we supposed to be goin'? This place ain't got nothin'!"

"Shut up and watch." The leader moved near a pile of rocks that lay in the sand. He got down on his knees and began to spread the sand, his hands substituting for shovels. "Help me out here you bums."

Setting Naruto as well as the other girl on the sand, the remaining bandits moved to help their leader scrape the sand, creating a small shallow hole in the ground. From his vantage point in the sand, Naruto couldn't see what they had found or were looking for, but he could hear a soft clanging of metal. A sharp screech caused the boy to wince in pain as the bandits lifted a giant metal plate until it seemed to stand and then sink backwards into the sand, the unused hinges producing the unimaginably painful sound.

Both prisoners were slung over the shoulders of two of the bandits as they approached the hole. Naruto turned his head and peered to the side, catching a glimpse of what lay underneath the sand. There was a large entrance in the ground, previously covered by the large trapdoor entrance that now lay on the ground, creating a giant square imprint on the sand. A set of concrete stairs led to the darkness below.

As the group descended into the underground bunker through the long array of staircases, the leader pressed his hand on the side of the bunker, a seal appearing on the wall around his hand. It briefly glowed before the horrid screeching of the metal hinges reverberated through the air once more. The entrance snapped shut, plunging the group in absolute darkness, and a low rumbling could be heard from the earth, as the sands shifted to cover the trapdoor, effectively hiding the bunker from unwanted eyes. Lights briefly flickered before turning on, illuminating the chamber.

It looked as Naruto had expected it to. The room itself was large, with a ceiling that peered way above his head: a clear indication of how far they had traveled down. The ground and walls were made of cracked concrete with pieces crumbling forming piles of dust on the floor. Wooden beams that were heavily eroded and moldy acted as the support for the ceiling. Their damaged appearance seemed to buckle under the weight of the ceiling and all the sand above it. There were wooden crates and boxes that were stacked across the room, creating towering pillars that seemed like they would topple over at any given moment.

Sitting on one of those boxes, was a ninja; it was a bald man wearing a standard ninja garb. Naruto recognized him as a higher ranked shinobi – either Chuunin or Jounin – by the vest that he wore. What the boy didn't recognize however, was the Hitai-ate that rested on the man's forehead. Living in Konoha for so long, it was strange to see a headband with a symbol not affiliated with Konoha. Instead of the usual leaf engraved on the metal plates, this man wore strange shapes, curved an elliptical. They reminded him of clouds. _'Kumo?'_

"Welcome, friend, and just in time too. I was beginning to think you had backed out of the deal." The ninja stood up and shook the bandit leader's hand. "Let's see the goods, shall we?"

The leader motioned for the bandits to place the two children down. They were taken off of the shoulders of their captors.

"Stand up straight." The children complied as they locked their eyes onto the ninja. He walked up to the girl and bent down, leveling his face with hers.

"Purple hair and golden eyes. My, my, my…did you really manage to nab one of the main house members? Any member of the Fukumoto clan would've sufficed but one of the main house? I'm impressed you even got to her!" Her golden orbs peered angrily into his brown ones. "And one with the infamous Fukumoto arrogance. How sweet!"

"Listen here, I went in with 50 men. I came out with only 6 of them, and this stupid little girl. Kumo had better pay well, or else the Boss is going to be furious." The bandit leader eyed the ninja warily. So it truly had been Kumo who was trying to kidnap this girl. But now the question was, why?

The cloud ninja let out a boisterous laugh.

"Of course, of course. I've got the money right here, but you see, now we're in a bit of a predicament. I don't think you understand what you've got your hands on there. That's a _main_ house member of the Fukumoto clan. They're not going to just let it go. Hell, I'd reckon they'd gone straight to Konoha for support because of it."

"How? I thought the clan was outside Konoha jurisdiction."

"They are. However, the clan is excellent friends with the Fire Daimyo. So much so, that the he has granted them asylum within the Land of Fire. Messing around with the clan is like messing around with the Fire Daimyo himself and he will no doubt force Konoha's hand."

"She can't be that valuable. Konoha can't go to war on a whim like that!"

"Not on a whim… You see, Kumo had tried to take a member of the Hyuuga clan – one of the main branch girls – and that little escapade almost pulled us into a war. If the Fukumoto clan goes to Konoha – which I'm sure they will – then that puts Kumo in a tight spot. If we're discovered with a main branch member of the Fukumoto clan, Konoha will be on the doorstep to Kumogakure within a month's time. They will be killing two birds with one stone: revenge for the Hyuuga and for the appeasement of the Daimyo and the clan."

"Then what do you suggest we do? The Boss is expecting 7 figures by tomorrow morning."

"And he shall receive six. I'll give you a portion of the money right now, but I can't take the girl. It's too much of a political gambit to bring her to Kumo right now. Until we build up relations with Konoha, I'm afraid you're going to have to keep her." The ninja went to the wooden crate he was sitting on and popped the lid opened. He reached in and pulled out a black briefcase. Opening it, he turned it to face the bandit leader. "Six figures."

Inside, Naruto could see stacks of bills. There was so much money in the case, it could probably sustain the child for a year. He turned to look at her. She was expensive.

"I'm not going to make decisions on my own, but I'm sure the Boss will agree. Now what about this kid?" The leader pointed to Naruto, who eyed the ninja.

"Who is this? Doesn't look like he's a member of the Fukumoto clan… Yellow hair and blue eyes. Not a clue. Where'd you find him?" The ninja pulled up Naruto's chin and moved it side to side, observing the entirety of his face. Then he circled around the boy and eyed him up. "Strange marks on his cheeks, though."

"We found him last night, actually. He was trying to rescue the girl."

"Ah, some affiliation with the clan I presume. Hm, I sense he has quite the chakra capacity. Tell me, can he fight?"

"He did this to my face." The man Naruto had injured last night stepped forward, the once bloody wound had turned into a wicked red line.

"Very good, very good. Unbind his mouth. Let him tell us where he's from." The bandits undid the mouth bindings and threw the rope onto the concrete ground. Over the course of his capture, the rope dug into his cheeks and chaffed his skin, creating a series of red marks where the skin had been rubbed raw. Naruto moved his jaw in different directions, stretching the muscles. It felt much better, having the freedom of speech.

"What do you want with me?" Naruto spat at the ninja. He had no idea what was going to happen to him. At least he knew the Kyuubi would step in if he was about to die. But otherwise, he was on his own, and by the looks of it, his current predicament did not require the Kyuubi's intervention.

"We want nothing from you. The question is, what did you want from her?" The ninja's eyes darted to the side to briefly glance at the Fukumoto girl. It was obvious that his relationship with her would be his ticket to survival.

"My name is … Uzumaki Naruto, and I'm … her friend." Out of his peripheral vision, Naruto could see the girl's eyes narrow at his declaration.

"Is that so?" The ninja turned his head towards the girl once more, awaiting her answer. She looked at neither at them, choosing only to stare at the concrete floor in front of her. Naruto hoped she would vouch for his lie. Luckily for him, the girl gave a curt nod. "Well this is a surprise. What was your name again, boy?"

"Uzumaki Naruto."

"Uzumaki. I haven't heard that name in years. Tell me, where are your parents?" Naruto only shook his head. It hadn't been a lie. He truly had no parents. He was an orphan for as long as he could remember. "Hm. You have no physical features that coincide with the Uzumaki, but you do have unusually large chakra reserves. If you truly are an Uzumaki, then you will benefit Kumo greatly. Your clan was renowned for their long life and endurance, and I expect it to show in the future."

He had never known of the name Uzumaki outside of Konoha, and was surprised at the recognition. Not only did he have a clan, but they were respected and revered for such high qualities. Evidently, his large chakra reserves came not only from inheriting the Kyuubi's power, but also from being born with the blood of the Uzumaki running through his veins. He almost thanked the ninja for the compliment, before catching and berating himself for such an action. This man still treated him as an object, a tool, and Naruto was not about to bow to such treatment.

"How much is he worth?" The bandit leader questioned as he tied the rope around the boy's mouth once more. He was trying to get as much money as he could out of the deal. "Quite a lot right? An Uzumaki and a friend of the Fukumotos. He must have some value."

"Yes, yes. Calm yourself. He is indeed, a rare find. Many of the Uzumakis have either died or disappeared. In fact, some of the world even though they had become extinct: extinguished when Uzushiogakure was brought to the ground." The leader's eyes lit up with those words. The rarity of Uzumaki blood must've meant it was worth something and value equated to money.

"Excellent. So how much do you want for him?"

"7 figures."

"You are most gracious." The leader bowed in respect to the Kumo nin. All it took was a few words and a few bills, and the ninja had the leader in the palm of his hands.

"But, I cannot receive him right now. If he has affiliations with the Fukumotos, then it will be most inconvenient if he was to say something." He paused before he reached into the crate and pulled out another suitcase, this time, not opting to open it. Everybody knew the enormous amount of cash already inside. "I propose the same trade. I'll pay you two cases for the two children, but you keep them for now. They're the property of Kumo but you're free to do whatever you want with them. However, Kumo expects them to be in perfect condition when we are ready to complete the purchase. You will get the rest of your money then. Plus interest. Is this fair?"

The ninja held out the two briefcases, one in each hand, and waited for the bandit to take the cases. The leader promptly walked up and took both of them, signaling an agreement. The exchange was done. Naruto and the Fukumoto girl were now Kumo property.

"Let's go boys. We're done here. Time to break the news to the Boss."

* * *

"Wait here." The bandit leader left the room they were in, locking the door behind him with a _click_. The room the two now found themselves in was a simple office with lime green tinted walls. There was a large window with the blinds down, blocking out most of the light of the sun. What light could pass through dimly lit the red wool carpet, the brown leather couch, the standard office table with random pieces of papers littered across it, and the expensive office chair. The girl was sitting on the couch, staring intensely at Naruto. Since his capture, he never had an opportunity to speak with her. Now that the opportunity had presented itself, he took it.

"Thanks for helping me back there." He was referring to the little lie about being her friend. He had no clue where he would be had she rejected the notion.

"Whatever." She turned away and a small tear ran down her cheek. "Daddy's not coming is he?"

He had heard the men talking back in the camp. By the time her father or any rescue party reached the clearing, the bandits would have been long gone.

"No." The girl only nodded at the response and wiped the tear away. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto."

The girl turned back towards him, her golden orbs locking onto his blue ones. She wore a frown on her face, but it was to be expected. Not every day do you get kidnapped and sold to money. "Fukumoto Setsuna."

"Hey, don't look so sad." He gave her a sheepish grin. He knew she was scared, afraid of the future. The way she acted was a clear indication she had been protected by her family all her life, and this was the first time she saw the real world. He only wondered what that must have felt like; being protected by a family. "I was kidnapped too, you know. Before I tried to save you."

She looked up at him curiously. There was a brief moment of pause before she motioned for him to continue.

"There was this guy called Souza back in Konoha – that's where I came from. I was sleeping in my bed when I woke up and saw him there. He had blood all over him and it was really scary. He knocked me out and brought me to a cave." He remembered the scuffle he had with Souza, and the conversation that proceeded.

"How did you get out?" He wondered whether or not he should tell her the truth. It was only a few months ago that he had learned of the Kyuubi himself and up until his little rescue mission, the Kyuubi had been with him every step of the way; mostly because it resided in the boy's body and had to follow his every step. Was this secret worth revealing? He decided not to take the chance.

"I… I had a friend. Yeah, a friend. He came and saved me." Could he truly call the Kyuubi a friend? Despite all of the assistance, the demon hadn't spoken to him since its declaration of neutrality. Unless the boy was going to die, the fox would not interfere, and as of right now, Naruto had yet to find himself in a life and death situation. Ironically, he kind of missed the fox. The Kyuubi was excellent company and an interesting figure. The fox was always a mentor and source of wisdom and knowledge, constantly guiding Naruto's hand. Had the fox not helped him, he would have died within the first week in the forest. Should he not have helped this girl?

He stared at her and reflected on his decision. Had he not helped her, he would have still been living in the forests with the Kyuubi by his side. Yet that scenario simply tore at his heart. He could not imagine himself abandoning another in trouble. Perhaps it was because he had been abandoned himself and he could relate to the pain of having nobody, of being ripped from a world he once knew and placed into one he didn't. Or maybe it was because his tirade with Souza had reminded himself of what it felt like to be rendered helpless of one's own fate. Regardless of which it was, Naruto realized he would not have abandoned her. He would have to apologize to Kyuubi, but he would never take back his decision.

"**As long as you're sure."** That voice. Kyuubi's voice rang within the boy's head. How he missed the deep rumbling of the fox's voice. _'Kyu?'_ There was no response. It wasn't a dream or a hallucination, was it? No. Naruto was sure he had heard the Kyuubi speak. Perhaps he had not been completely forgiven yet.

"A friend?" The girl's question broke him out of his train of thought. He would have to try and talk to the Kyuubi later.

"Yeah. And now since I'm your friend, I'll be the one to save you this time. Right?" He chuckled.

"Hmph. I don't need your help." A pout growing at her lips while she lifted her chin up in protest.

"Yeah, remember what happened last time you said that?" Naruto could only laugh at her reaction. Her face ran red from embarrassment as she recalled why their escape had failed. Had she only kept her mouth shut, they would have been far away from here.

"Sorry..." She looked down at the carpet and grumbled. It was obvious she didn't apologize much.

"What was that? I didn't hear yo –!" His sentence was cut off as her hand flew from her lap and onto his cheek. "Ouch! That hurt!"

"Well you were being mean!" Naruto rubbed the side of his stinging cheek that was now turning red. She seemed to have a relatively short temper and from the pain on his face, getting on her mad side was definitely not entertaining. He supposed he deserved it for taunting her. She was easily provoked, it seems.

An awkward silence encompassed the next few minutes before Naruto decided to break it.

"So what's so special about your family?" She rose an eyebrow. He was curious about her family? It seemed like harmless information to divulge.

"Our clan has a kekkei genkai that involves the elements and chakra. I don't know much about it, but daddy said I was the best one to inherit the family skills. I was supposed to learn how to use it when I grew older." A kekkei genkai. A bloodline limit. Naruto stared at awe as he somewhat envied the girl. She was lucky to be born into such a clan. Naruto wished he had one.

The two conversed for another hour, talking about their respective lives up until their moment of capture. Setsuna was the 2nd daughter of the Fukumoto clan, yet was born with incredible potential. This was why she was constantly pampered and prioritized by all the family members. Her siblings, both younger and older, were put into the background and Setsuna ascended to the spotlight. Perhaps this was also the reason she was the first the bandits had targeted. She seemed to be the most valuable one. Despite her spoiled nature, she was mentally stronger than he expected. When she realized her father was not going to save her, she only shed a single tear before gathering herself back together. It was in this, that Naruto had gained a new respect for the girl. Despite her attitude and spoiled nature, she had a strong mental fortitude.

And in turn, she listened while Naruto recounted his past few years and the struggles he had to overcome in order to live. Being pampered by her peers, Setsuna had never seen the evil side of the world, the side that would attack children or ostracize them from society. She was shocked at his story. Whereas she had thought she had it rough by being kidnapped from her family, this boy's life was much more devastating. For him, every day was a game for survival. He lived in poverty and solitude, two things she would never experience. And while he had applauded her for her inner endurance, she now saw the boy next to her in a new light. His life was full of struggle and he was able to overcome the obstacles in his way.

And over the course of this hour, the two sat in peace and a formed a bond of friendship. This serenity however, this happiness, was short lived as a soft _click_ could be heard, indicating the door had been unlocked. The two children turned to see it swing open and a person enter the room, only to take a seat in the expensive office chair.

"Uzumaki Naruto and Fukumoto Setsuna." The person took a brief pause before smiling. "You work for me now."

* * *

Hello everybody and thanks for reading! I hope you've enjoyed the chapter. Tell me what you think of the story.


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